Device for pulling pipes and the like



July 15, 1941. P. w. THOMURE l 2,

DEVICE FOR PULLING PIPES AND THE LIKE Filed Ap ril 22, 1940 L- U k? 5 v 7 INVENTOR.

PAUL W. THOMURE ATTORNEY. v

ner.

i atented July 15, 1941 UNITED STAT Es PATENT-mm DEVICE FOR PULLINGv PIPES AND THE LIKE Paul Thoiniire, Prairie du Rocker- 111. Application April 22, 1940,v Serial N0- 330,949 I 3 Claims.

' This invention relates generally to pipe pulling devices and more specifically to devices for pulling from the ground pipes and like tubular bodies which have been broken off beneaththe surface of the ground, the predominant object of vice of this description which is of simple and relatively inexpensive construction and arrangement, and which because of its'unique construction and arrangement is capable of performing its intended function in a highly efiiciently man- As is quite generally known to persons familiar with such matters, pipes and other tubular elements, which are disposed in the ground for various purposes, frequently are broken off be-' neath the surface of the ground and must be removed so that they may be replaced by unbroken pipes or tubular elements, one common example of tubular elements disposed in the ground which frequently are broken off beneath the surface of the ground being the casings of wells' Prior to this' invention various devices were employed for removing from the ground broken pipes or other tubular elements, but none of these earlier devices have come into general use,'the failure of the earlier devices to be generally adopted for their intended use probably being due to their complexity of construction and general lack of durability and effectiveness.

The main purpose of this invention, therefore,

' is to provide an improved pulling device of the type to which the invention relates that is of extremely simple and durable construction and .which because of its improved contruction and being shown in section.

. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the pulling device as it appears when portions thereof have been expanded to engagethe inner face of the tubular element preparatory to pulling the tubular element from the ground.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

the invention being to provide an improved de- Fig;"5'is a horizontal section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3: 7

In the drawing, wherein is shown for the purposeof illustration,-merely, one embodiment of the'invention, A" designates the improved-pulling device generally. The pulling device A includes an elongated member I which preferably is semicircular in cross-section and is provided at its upper end 'with'a slightly offset screwthreaded shank 2 which is screwthreadedly engaged by the screwthreaded wall *of a cavity 3' of an operating element 3. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing the upper portion of the member I is of constant thickness as shown to "good advantage in Figs. 2 and 3, while the lower portion l of said member I, starting at the approximate point designated by the reference character I becomes progressively thicker as the lower end of said member is approached. The tapered shape of the lower portion l of the member 1 provides said member portion with an inner wedge face 4- whichis flat and serves an important function in the operation of the device.

The lower end portion of the member I is tapered as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, said end portion being provided with an inclined face 5 which extends upwardly from the straight, transverse,

1 lower end 5 of the Wedge face 4 to'a point at the outer face of the'member I, this inclined face being shaped as shown by dotted lines in Fig, l.

, The sides of the lower-end portion of the member I curve inwardly from the greater width of themember above the lower end 5' thereof to the reduced width of said lower end 5'. At the outer face of the member I a plurality of arcuate gripping edges 6 are provided, these gripping faces being located at points where horizontal shoulders 6 formed on said member, meet substantially vertical, inclined faces 6 formed at the outer'surface of the member I.

. Associated with the member I is a second member I of semi-circular cross-section, which is of gradually decreased thickness from top to bottom so that said member I is provided with a flat, inclined wedge face 8 which contacts with the wedge face 4 of the member I and cooperates therewith in a manner to behereinafter set forth. The lower end portion of the member 1 underlies the'lower end portion of the member 'I and is tapered to, give to said lower portion of the member I a substantially pointed shape, said lower end' portion of said member 1 being provided with an inclined face 9 which contacts with the inclined face 5 at the lower end portion of the member I as shown in Fig; 2. Also the member I is provided with arcuate gripping edges ID which are similar to the gripping edges 6 of the member I-, these gripping edges Ill being provided by related horizontal shoulders II] and substantially vertical, inclined faces I0? formed on the member '1. Extended from and supported at the inner face of the member I is a plurality of outstanding, spaced guiding elements H of loop formation which serve'to guide for reciprocatory movement a rod I2 which is fixed at its lower end to the member I. The rod I2 has formed at its upper portion an eye portion I3, and attached to this eye'portion is an operating element for the member I which the member 7 tends to move outwardly with the member I so as to obtain the desired wedging action.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a pair of members having inner contacting wedge faces adapted on relative longitudinal movement of said members to move said members outwardly in opposite directions, gripping portions formed on said members, an end portion formed on one of said "members which is adapted to underlie and embrace an end portion of the other mem- =ber, said underlying and embracing portion of of a cable I4.

In the use of the improved pulling device di sclosed herein when a pipe or other tubular element is to be drawn from the ground with the aid thereof, the device A is introduced into the pipe to be removed with the members I and 'I disposed in the related positions shown in Fig. 2. This related condition of the members I and I is maintained by keeping the cable I4 taut as the pulling device is lowered into the pipe to'be removed, such a pipe being shown in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, and being designated by the reference character P. When the cable I4 is held taut as described the lower end portion of the member I is disposed in underlying and embracing relation withrespect to the lower end portion of the member I as is shown in Fig. 2 and the pointed readily forced through mud or sand which may have accumulated within the pipe to be removed.

1 Additionally the embracing relationship of the lower end portion of the member I with respect to the lower end portion of the member I prevents "A lower end portion of said member I provides the. device with an entering portion which may be desired position within the pipe to be removed I the cable I4 is released, whereby the member I is permitted to drop relativeto the member I to a position such as that illustrated in Fig. 3. A pull is then exerted, by suitable mechanical means (not shown), on the operating element 3, and

sliding movement of the wedge face 4 of-the member I relative to the wedge face 8 of the member I will move said members outwardly in opposite directions to cause the gripping edges 6 and I!) of the members I and I, respectively,

to'bite into the inner face portion of the pipe P and thereby securely fix the pipe to the pulling device. It is obvious that because of the wedging action to which the members I and I are subjected during operation of the device, the gripping action on the pipe is increased in'proportion to the degree of the pull to which the operating element 3 is subjected. Therefore, if the mechanical means employed to exert the pull on the operating element 3 is sufficient to produce the required force, the most stubborn pipe will be pulled from the ground without slippage of the pulling device with respect to the pipe.

.In the event a pipe into which the device A is introduced is filled with mud or sand so that the member 'I may not drop downwardly of its own weight when the cable I4 is released, the initial outward movement of the member I in response to pulling action on the operating element 3 will "force the member I against the inner face of the pipe. Also the rod I2 may be held stationary if said one member being provided with a recess in which a correspondingly shaped part of the end 'portion'of the other member is adapted to be seated, guiding means for guiding movement of saidmember provided with said underlying and embracing portion with respect to said other member, said guiding means comprising an elongatedelementfwhich is fixed to and extended from said member provided with said underlying and embracing portion, and elements extended from said other member which engage said elongated ele'ment for sliding vmovement with respect to said elements, means comprising an operating element fixed to said elongated element for moving and controlling movement of said guided'member'relative to said other member, and meansfor imparting movementto said other member.

2. A device of the class described comprising a pair of members having inner contacting wedge 'faces adapted on relative longitudinal movement of said members to move said members outwardly in opposite directions, gripping'portions formed on said members, an end portion formed on one 'of said members whichis adapted to underlie and embrace an end portion of the other member, said underlying and embracing portion of said one member being provided with a recess 'in which acorrespondingly shaped part of the end portion of the other memberis adapted to be seated, guiding meansfor guiding movement of'said member provided with said underlying and embracing portion withrespect to said other 'member, said'guiding means comprising anelongated-rod which is fixed'to and extended from said-member provided with said underlying and embracingportionyand elements extended from said other member which embrace saidelongated "rod so as to guide longitudinal movement thereof,

'means comprising an-operating elementfixed to "saidrod for moving and controlling movement of said 'guidedmember relative to said other member, andmeans for imparting movement to said other member, said underlying and embrac- =ing portion of said one member being of convergent formation.

3. A device of the class described comprising a pair of members having inner contacting wedge faces adapted on relative longitudinal movement of said members to move said members outwardly inopposite directions, gripping portions formed on said members, an end portion formed on one of said members which is adapted to underlie and embrace an end portion of the other member, said underlying and embracing portion :of said one member being provided with atapered recess in whicha correspondingly shaped part of the end portion of the other member is adapted :to be seated, guiding means for guiding movement of said member provided with said underlying and. embracing portion with respect. to said other member, said guiding means-comprising elements extended laterally from said other member and provided with loop portions, and an elongated rod fixed to and extended from said member provided with said underlying and embracing portion which is movable for guided movement through said loop portions of said elements, means comprising a cable fixed to said rod for moving and controlling movement of said guided member relative to said other member, and means for imparting movement to said other member, said underlying and embracing portion of said one member being of convergent formation.

PAUL W. THOMURE. 

